Delaware Valley Tackle

Don't let overpaying dampen your enthusiasm for treating yourself . In the future check in here prior to purchase and you'll get pointed in the right direction for deals on good stuff. Enjoy!

That description could fit half the blanks out there. All you can do is try to lay your hands on one to see how it feels. Fishing it is the only way to really judge it.

I don't believe on a whole that stock bearings are ABEC rated or they'd advertise the fact. That doesn't mean stock don't hold up performance or spec wise , just that they aren't rated as proof . Unless you're an enthusiast or tackle junky don't worry about it until something wears out and needs replacing. Simply flushing and lightly oiling stock bearings makes a big difference. Don't attempt removal of spool mounted bearings without a specialized tool.

Funny, Bushido has a very good rep for their cranking blanks. There line is good and deserves to be in there with geeks, Rainshadow etc.

Spin times are irrelevant you tube fodder. Super Tuning has nothing to do with bearings, rather is a process of polishing friction areas that affect casting. Any thing "faster" is typically "louder". A lightly oiled quality ABEC5 SS bearing in a well maintained and tuned reel is the best bang for the buck performance wise. You'll have a free running manageable reel that's a pleasure to fish

I think if you take a little line off the spool you'll see an improvement. The improved casting distance claims are marketing that can not be quantified. I have a Tatula that casts very well but I attribute that to over all Daiwa quality not t wing etc.

Rod geeks C3 , MHX, and Rainshadow all have good quality blanks at very good prices.

Shallow cranks anywhere and ripping lipless in grass

In general it should. There all types of copolymer and fluorocarbon lines. What are you using and what don't you like about it? What are you trying to accomplish?

RW, what hook are you using for the ika ? Some 03 ewg seem to wad up and 04 are a hair too long (Gammy mostly)

All good smallie baits mentioned. I'll give a second to two: the fat ika and tiny torpedo are very productive for me.

I fish the swimbaits on a typical fast action jig rod and flukes on a jerkbait Rod that is XF but with a soft tip.

Line ratings on a freshwater Rod are basically meaningless. Just a suggested use for the Rod design. A well tied Albright or even double uni knot will pass all but the smallest micro guides with no problem

I like a drop shot to have enough weight to pin it in place. The amount of weight that requires depends on depth, current, wind. A collection of 1/4, 1/2 & 3/4 maybe 1oz depending on where you fish.

The older rods tend to have slower actions but a little trial and error should find a niche for them.

The qualities of cork that it good for handles makes it almost impossible to truly dye. It just won't soak in. It can be sealed, coated, even painted but not really dyed.

Personally I don't follow the theory of pulling the bait from a fish. Having tried sight fishing bedding bass and seeing first hand how fast they can inhale , move and spit a bait, I'm 100% convinced if a fish wants a bait you couldn't keep it from them if you tried. If you're getting short strikes change retrieve, color, size or some other variable. For baits like the swing impact stick with a fast action in a power appropriate for bait weight and cover. I fish them on a m/f spinning setup crawled just off the bottom.

I could see fluorocarbon for shallow cranks in cover for the abrasion resistance but that's about it. I use it mostly for leaders.

It's just a water based polymer not caustic at all. Wipe drips clean before it dries no problem.

brush on with a bristle brush, remove runs or drips. Let dry. Second coat will not penetrate.

I suggest posting on Rodbuilding.org There's a larger community of builders there. Batson may be along with suggestions as well.

Cover plays a roll but I build a med/ mod-fast for traps and shallow cranks.

Let me add that I will get crazy with colors on cranks sometimes. Looking for pure reaction bites. Some days Clown pattern baits are killer.

I agree that hi-vis 40# braid with leaders where appropriate gives you best blend of easy handling, sensitivity, strength , and abrasion resistance possible with a single line.

Other two are close enough. If you want to get really technique specific I like anXF but soft tip for jerkbaits and top water as well as small weightless plastics.